Gers set for 38k support in semi
Konterman’s Hampden humdinger made me a hero .. another semi stunner can do same for you Pedro
RANGERS will be backed by a massive support in Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final against Motherwell that could rise to as many as 38,000 fans.
The Ibrox side have had their allocation for the Hampden showpiece increased as Pedro Caixinha bids to reach his first final in Scotland.
Hampden has a capacity of 52,000 and with the Fir Park club bringing 9000 fans it leaves 5000 tickets for corporate and sponsorship.
And Gers will take the remaining briefs, to outnumber their Lanarkshire rivals by nearly 4-1. The first semi-final between Celtic and Hibs will be much closer to a 50-50 split.
ALEX McLEISH cemented his relationship with the Light Blue legions when Rangers beat Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden in 2002 on their way to lifting the trophy.
Now Big Eck believes Pedro Caixinha can do the same by steering the Ibrox side to Betfred Cup glory starting with victory over Motherwell this weekend.
Dutch midfielder Bert Konterman unleashed a 30-yard screamer at the National Stadium that night as Rangers toppled the rampant Hoops.
The Light Blues would go on to hammer Ayr 4-0 in the showpiece the following March.
That silverware success got McLeish up and running as a trophy-winning Ibrox boss.
And he last night confessed a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders in that instant as Rangers proved they could mix it with Celtic in the post Dick Advocaat era.
There are similarities with the current balance of power in Glasgow and the former Scotland gaffer insists Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against the Steelmen has become a massive match for Caixinha.
McLeish believes if the Gers boss can stash an early trophy in the bag – just as he did 14 years ago – it could silence the doubters and buy the Portuguese time to implement his philosophy in Govan.
McLeish said: “You have no idea how big that was for me.
“Celtic had beaten Rangers in the recent times, just before Advocaat stepped down.
“You go in there with a preconception – what if I never win a game against Celtic?
“What if I don’t win my first game against them? You have the negative devil on one shoulder and the angel saying, ‘But what if you do? It will be brilliant.’ My first goal was to make sure we would not be embarrassed by Celtic.
“Winning that first League Cup semi-final when Bert scored the winner definitely helped.
“It’s the fine details that can separate a game, like a screamer from big Bert. That cemented my start at Rangers.
“It’s why Sunday’s League Cup semi-final is huge for Caixinha. Pedro has come out with a great result against St Johnstone and that might just galvanise them and set them on a good run of form and confidence.
“It is time Rangers embarked on a run. I would expect them to beat Motherwell despite their tremendous run of late.
“A League Cup win would set the bar high. It also gives the players an appetite to say, ‘We want to do this again.’ As I said a few weeks ago, Pedro needs more time. The St Johnstone game was a surprise for me as they won it so convincingly.”
McLeish is aware Rangers midfielder Carlos Pena has not had his troubles to seek since pitching up at Ibrox but he was pleased to see the Mexican bag a double against Saints in last Friday’s 3-0 victory.
Caixinha has gone out on a limb by stating Pena will come good.
McLeish likened it to when he brought Nuno Capucho to Rangers from Porto and had to get him physically up to speed with the Scottish game. Former Ibrox gaffer Eck said: “The win against St Johnstone would have given guys like Pena a bit of confidence and belief.
“I have had players like that. It puts a bit of pressure on you as a manager when you bring players like that to the club.
“If he has faith in Pena then he has to keep working with him.
“When I was at Rangers we won the Treble in 2003 and then the squad was decimated when Barry Ferguson, Ronald de Boer, Artur Numan and Lorenzo Amoruso all left.
“I had a month to do all my transfer dealings. That wasn’t ideal preparation.
“We brought in six free transfers and made the club £17million in sales.
“We brought in Nuno Capucho who, like Pena, wasn’t fit enough and we had to give him extra time off as Porto had just won three trophies.
“We allowed Capucho to have his holiday and he went to Brazil.
“When he came back we had to get him fully up to speed and he wasn’t ready until October.
“The Rangers board have given Pedro a few bob so they have to give him time.”